MA Off-peak is dying

[MrRiplEy[H]]

The current maps aren't designed for airspawn combat.  For example smpizza. Even if you had an airspawn into the middle of tanktown, what if one of the enemy airspawn fields were captured?  Does that make it so that the nearest airfield of that side becomes an airspawn ?  That would make it so the next enemy base would have to be an airspawn to balance it out, otherwise it would give them an 'unfair advantage'.


While I do agree that sometimes it is hard to find combat, and sometimes time consuming to reach a fight only to have it die a few moments after getting there.  It wouldn't be beneficial (in my opinion) to have air-spawns in the MA. 

Not only that, in order to cater to the console crowd, you would have to make the gameplay much much easier, making the learning curve that of perhaps... walking up stairs with flip flops.

Eh, to be honest, looking at many of the games that have come out for 'this generation' it is sort of a hand-held experience, one way or another. Which isn't something that HTC is known to do (they still don't have a tutorial of basic things for the game that are a necessity to play!).  Many games have a simple "press this that and the other to get your character or vehicle to do what you want".  Sometimes happening each time you get into the vehicle, or after you respawn (like in Halo 4).   


And check out this for anything else.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,356382.0.html

 

 

Airspawn GVs on tank town? Make it 10k please 

[ReVo]

We seem to have strayed a bit off-topic. All Redd wants are small maps during off-peak hours which I think is pretty reasonable given the number of players in the EU timezone these days.

[Mister Fork]

We seem to have strayed a bit off-topic. All Redd wants are small maps during off-peak hours which I think is pretty reasonable given the number of players in the EU timezone these days.

But you're asking HTC to address a symptom of a larger issue - a shrinking player base.  What HTC could do is close the Early and Mid war arenas so that those players would use the AvA - which uses small map in historical match-ups.  That way we have two arenas - one suited for after-hours/smaller player base and the MA where hoards of 20 Spits can chase done that lone NIKI. 

[ReVo]

But you're asking HTC to address a symptom of a larger issue - a shrinking player base.  What HTC could do is close the Early and Mid war arenas so that those players would use the AvA - which uses small map in historical match-ups.  That way we have two arenas - one suited for after-hours/smaller player base and the MA where hoards of 20 Spits can chase done that lone NIKI.  

99% of the guys who fly EW/MW are either there to farm perks, or there because for some reason they want to take bases with no opposition. Most of the time when I go in there I get flamed for being the only guy on one side defending bases. I suspect that if those arenas are shut down they will leave the game rather then go elsewhere. Which is a shame because I love flying in the AvA.

[SirNuke]

99% of the guys who fly EW/MW are either there to farm perks, or there because for some reason they want to take bases with no opposition. Most of the time when I go in there I get flamed for being the only guy on one side defending bases. I suspect that if those arenas are shut down they will leave the game rather then go elsewhere. Which is a shame because I love flying in the AvA.

with my idea anyone could farm perks, while defending

Ok then what about simply adding system messages for towns changing flag color? LIke "A86 town flag is not white anymore!" and award perks to the players in the vinicity? You could argue perks could be easily farmed that way, but you'd have to be near the hot spots to get them.

[GhostCDB]

with my idea anyone could farm perks, while defending

What is stopping someone from simply landing within the vicinity of that flag and doing absolutely nothing but chilling watching everyone fight. I am sure someone would do that just to gain easy perks. You have to think in a dweebs perspective.

[SirNuke]

What is stopping someone from simply landing within the vicinity of that flag and doing absolutely nothing but chilling watching everyone fight. I am sure someone would do that just to gain easy perks. You have to think in a dweebs perspective.

Manned acks would be excluded. Also if you are in the vinicity but not protecting the town it might never come white again  . And looking at the dweeb's population and it's tendancy to vulch I wouldn't stay on the runway doing nothing when the field is under attack  

[pembquist]

The solution is not looking at how to retain it is in looking at how to draw.

There is a lot of truth in this but I don't think its an either or. More numbers would make for more retention, and retaining people for the worst part of the learning curve is a necessity.

I think that while not taking existing customers for granted by any means, it is more important to make new players experience as good as possible so that they will convert to long term subscribers.

[Gemini]

The solution is not looking at how to retain it is in looking at how to draw.

In my humble opinion it is too late for AH to draw in any significant amount of new players without being both free to play and upgraded considerably in the graphics department.

Sad to say I know...but I am convinced it's true.

All of the great things that AH has going for it count for nothing when potential new players see something like War Thunder, which may be an inferior game, but is free and pretty.

That's without even mentioning the steep learning curve of AH which makes it really tough for all but the most dedicated to get satisfaction from the air combat part of the game.

War Thunder is free, EASY, and graphically stunning. AH simply can't compete with that when it comes to drawing in new players, in the long run.

So it's my opinion that we have to look at ways of retaining players, instead of believing that it's possible to make some kind of magical comeback and gain a lot more.

HTC's ignoring of the problem of low player population during Euro + Pacific prime times for the last year or so has just led for most of us in those time zones to unsubscribe.

[pembquist]

In my humble opinion it is too late for AH to draw in any significant amount of new players without being both free to play and upgraded considerably in the graphics department.


HTC's ignoring of the problem of low player population during Euro + Pacific prime times for the last year or so has just led for most of us in those time zones to unsubscribe.

I hear you, but I also think that numberswise 100 new players is a significant amount for AH so maybe its about not competing with other games but being a niche that interested people can't help but knowing about.

Your last part is depressing because it points out how critical a critical mass of players is. I'm not much of a video game person, is AH Obscure? Or is it known about and passed over?

[ReVo]

In my humble opinion it is too late for AH to draw in any significant amount of new players without being both free to play and upgraded considerably in the graphics department.

Sad to say I know...but I am convinced it's true.

All of the great things that AH has going for it count for nothing when potential new players see something like War Thunder, which may be an inferior game, but is free and pretty.

That's without even mentioning the steep learning curve of AH which makes it really tough for all but the most dedicated to get satisfaction from the air combat part of the game.

War Thunder is free, EASY, and graphically stunning. AH simply can't compete with that when it comes to drawing in new players, in the long run.

So it's my opinion that we have to look at ways of retaining players, instead of believing that it's possible to make some kind of magical comeback and gain a lot more.

HTC's ignoring of the problem of low player population during Euro + Pacific prime times for the last year or so has just led for most of us in those time zones to unsubscribe.

Aces High is not the last of the subscription genre. There are other games that still make money with the same business model.

[guncrasher]

In my humble opinion it is too late for AH to draw in any significant amount of new players without being both free to play and upgraded considerably in the graphics department.

Sad to say I know...but I am convinced it's true.

All of the great things that AH has going for it count for nothing when potential new players see something like War Thunder, which may be an inferior game, but is free and pretty.

That's without even mentioning the steep learning curve of AH which makes it really tough for all but the most dedicated to get satisfaction from the air combat part of the game.

War Thunder is free, EASY, and graphically stunning. AH simply can't compete with that when it comes to drawing in new players, in the long run.

So it's my opinion that we have to look at ways of retaining players, instead of believing that it's possible to make some kind of magical comeback and gain a lot more.

HTC's ignoring of the problem of low player population during Euro + Pacific prime times for the last year or so has just led for most of us in those time zones to unsubscribe.

you havent been around for a while have you?  and there's no such thing as free to play model.  somebody has to pay and those who pay, pay a lot more.


semp

[bustr]

Since this game has no cheats to find and make you a fast track killz gauwd. But, you want to attract and retain a generation that expects some form of this so they don't have to spend years earning their skillz like we do. Come up with solutions based on the following reasoning.

Most of this generation won't go to the TA or DA and spend any time. So their AtoA conduct is atrocious, lame, gamey and so forth. They are probably just as frustrated and fed up trying to get any where quickly in our Old Farts game as we are with their conduct.  They come to our game from their other games that allow them to advance quickly because the games are designed for attention spans of gnats.

We compound their frustration and gamey conduct because we want everyone to suffer the same way we did "earning" our game experience and knowledge. So we suffer their blundering around playing our game in their irritating fashion while agreeing as the in-group, it's all their fault for being lame and killing our game.

You want to keep more of the new generation, you gotta give up something to get them past that long initial period of being only our TARGET paying their painful dues because we had to.

Fighter to Figther combat is the core of this game and probably the first thing attracting most new players. The biggest thing that gets them all killed is not knowing what to do after the merge. They all HO and run after loosing to the merge a few times and nothing else for the most part if they stay around for a while.

An answer is to come up with "three easy things" a new player can read telling them in simple wording what to do at the merge. Then get Hitech to add this in plain view in the tower or on the clip board. Even if it's obvious we vets will then look for newbs to do these three things. None of the newbs and less advanced players will. So then the newbs will have a bit more confidence in our game, along with something to build from other than grouchy old farts yelling at them for trashing the game.

We have ACM gawds in this game between the Trainers and the DA with the experience to craft three "simple tactics" in "simple language". The reason for "three" has to do with what will be remembered under stress by the new player unused to a 3D combat environment in the air. Whether or not they work will always be understood to reflect the player's ingenuity. That they exist matters more in giving a new player somewhere to start their learning experience.

If it isn't easy to read and in front of their noses, they won't bother to do much else than hop in a ride and get frustrated. Aces High is not exactly War Blunder the Arcade Game now is it? Complexity drives people away.

[Tinkles]

Since this game has no cheats to find and make you a fast track killz gauwd. But, you want to attract and retain a generation that expects some form of this so they don't have to spend years earning their skillz like we do. Come up with solutions based on the following reasoning.

Most of this generation won't go to the TA or DA and spend any time. So their AtoA conduct is atrocious, lame, gamey and so forth. They are probably just as frustrated and fed up trying to get any where quickly in our Old Farts game as we are with their conduct.  They come to our game from their other games that allow them to advance quickly because the games are designed for attention spans of gnats.

We compound their frustration and gamey conduct because we want everyone to suffer the same way we did "earning" our game experience and knowledge. So we suffer their blundering around playing our game in their irritating fashion while agreeing as the in-group, it's all their fault for being lame and killing our game.

You want to keep more of the new generation, you gotta give up something to get them past that long initial period of being only our TARGET paying their painful dues because we had to.

Fighter to Figther combat is the core of this game and probably the first thing attracting most new players. The biggest thing that gets them all killed is not knowing what to do after the merge. They all HO and run after loosing to the merge a few times and nothing else for the most part if they stay around for a while.

An answer is to come up with "three easy things" a new player can read telling them in simple wording what to do at the merge. Then get Hitech to add this in plain view in the tower or on the clip board. Even if it's obvious we vets will then look for newbs to do these three things. None of the newbs and less advanced players will. So then the newbs will have a bit more confidence in our game, along with something to build from other than grouchy old farts yelling at them for trashing the game.

We have ACM gawds in this game between the Trainers and the DA with the experience to craft three "simple tactics" in "simple language". The reason for "three" has to do with what will be remembered under stress by the new player unused to a 3D combat environment in the air. Whether or not they work will always be understood to reflect the player's ingenuity. That they exist matters more in giving a new player somewhere to start their learning experience.

If it isn't easy to read and in front of their noses, they won't bother to do much else than hop in a ride and get frustrated. Aces High is not exactly War Blunder the Arcade Game now is it? Complexity drives people away.

Spot on bustr. For once I actually understood 100% of your post  (and I'm being serious )

I agree.  But the things is, the question becomes what exactly do we sacrifice or 'give up' to get some of this generation in?    I'm not sure what we could give up to get more in, but at the same time keep the unique attributes that Aces High is known for.

 

[Gemini]

Aces High is not the last of the subscription genre. There are other games that still make money with the same business model.

I did not claim AH was the last game using a subscription model and I'm not sure what your point is.

My point is that 9 out of 10 people wishing to play a WW2-era combat flight sim will end up with War Thunder and not AH because it is easy to get kills even if you're bad, it requires no monthly subscription, and it looks fantastic.

I know that AH is the better game...I have repeatedly told friends who play WT that AH is a better game...can I get any of them to switch over? Can I f**k!

The one person out of that group who tried the AH free trial in the past (before WT came out), told all the others that it was too hard for him to even get a single kill despite playing for hours and having me attempt to help him.